Civil society organizations from Croatia (CROSOL), Latvia (LAPAS) and Slovenia (SLOGA) have launched a Pan-European internet campaign against the rise of illiberal democracies in Europe today. The campaign called „More Democracy for More Europe“ is a reaction towards the recent illiberal trends dominantly in Eastern Europe, and its intention is to encourage the citizens of these countries to stay committed to human rights, liberal democracy and the rule of law.

Graffiti artists from four countries have been asked to paint this illiberal democracy (or ill-democracy) trends on the walls in their respective countries. The result of their work can be seen in this video: httpss://youtu.be/zt7Z1lmkWEI.

Illiberal democracies phenomenon reduces the concept of democracy to a mere multiparty system, while at the same time attempts to suppress or institutionally marginalize all the remaining fundamental components needed for an adequate functioning of a democratic pluralistic society. In this sense, political leaders of so-called illiberal democracies are directly attacking human rights – particularly the ones related to freedom of assembly, association, and expression. Critical civil society organizations, independent media as well as the independent judiciary and other institutions responsible for the protection of human rights and the functioning of democracy all become subjected to their impact. This phenomenon was well-known outside the EU, but in the last couple of years, it has begun to spread even within the EU borders.

With this campaign, we want to send different messages from Eastern European states. We believe that illiberal democracies are ill democracies. We also believe that Europe has to change and embrace more democracy and provide stronger protection for all human rights values; from civil and political to social and economic rights. We want to live in societies where liberal rights are not marginalizing socio-economic rights, and vice versa.